“Every time I see them we have a big hug. You know, you can hear and feel the life and so you know that’s Joe,” said Mitchell.

Sixty-seven percent of Coloradans asked say yes to organ donation. Those who don’t often believe they are too old or unhealthy.

Donor Alliance said this isn’t true.

“There are no restrictions to registering to be a donor,” said Donor Alliance Director of Communications Jennifer Moe.

Some people worry with the red heart symbol on their license that indicates them as an organ donor that doctors won’t try as hard to save them. Donor Alliance said that is not true and doctors will continue to do everything they can regardless if the person is an organ donor or not.

Since Joe’s death, Mitchell has become an advocate. She worked to create the Donate Life license plate as a tribute to the son she lost and a reminder of his lifesaving gift.

“We all have the potential at some point to be a hero to someone else,” said Mitchell.

major organs are only retreived from a living donor .. The process you are hooked up to a ventilator, heart pumping, lungs breathing, blood flowing wheeled to an operating room where the real you, the spirit of man dies when they begin to cut out your heart. This is when death occurs. This is the truth . It is horrific.